A Vacation to Remember
by Hwikek
Summary: It's happy, happy Golden Week and some of the Azumanga gang have gotten together to celebrate it at the beach.  But when one of them goes off on a date, leaving the others on their own, what goes on?


**Author's Note: If this looks like a wall of text, please notify me immediately.**

"No," said Rukia as she viewed the scene from above. "Ichigo," she sobbed, "why? Why did it have to be this way?" The soul reaper began to cry. "Ichigo! Why? What ever caused this to happen?" The adopted member of the Kuchki Clan couldn't believe the terror that filled her young heart. "No, no, no!" she screamed, "Why? Why? Why did this have to happen?" she sobbed. "Why did this have to happen to me?" The scene below that filled Rukia's heart with grief was a horrendous one: Ichigo held the hand of a young woman, as the two of them sat on the beach.

Ever since his high school days had ended, Ichigo felt relaxed and pleased. The beautiful young woman that leaned against him made Ichigo feel warm inside, as well as _excited_ about the day's future prospects.

"So," said the tan, fit college girl, "I haven't seen you around much, Ichigo."

"It's a big campus," he smiled, "but at least Spring Break gives us a chance to relax." The young man leaned back, the warm sand soothing his back.

The girl lay down next to him, laying her arm across his chest. "I don't mind being a little _active_." She smiled, her eyebrows curved, her lids slid down her eyes a fraction.

Ichigo partially sat up, leaning against his elbow that felt the rough grains of the beach. "What are you trying to say?"

The woman looked up at him as her young body lay on the hot sand. "We're adults, right?" She winked.

Ichigo couldn't supress a mischievious grin. He gazed down at her body lying against the warm sand. He studied all of the pronounced curves and gentle slopes that comprised her young frame. "I guess we can find out."

She let out a nervous giggle as she sat up. Her body slowly gravitated towards his. They were so close. Ichigo could feel her hot skin kiss his arm. The moment was perfect.

"ICHIGO!"

And now it was destroyed.

Ichigo growled as Keigo tripped in the sand in front of him. "Would you please excuse us for a minute?" Ichigo asked the girl before dragging Keigo away by the arm. The girl merely gave a confused look in Ichigo's direction as Keigo began to protest.

"Ah," Minamo Kurosawa sighed as she lay on the beach, "just the sand, the surf, then me." Kurosawa smiled, resting her head against the sand before closing her eyes.

"Hey Nyamo!"

"Wha?" Kurosawa cried as her dreams of a relaxing day at the beach seemed to evaporate into the hot air as quickly as her co-worker shuffled over to her.

"I hope you don't mind but I brought Kimura along too!"

"Hey, hey!"

"Wa, wha?" cried Nyamo as her fellow teachers began to argue over who would be the guest of honor at Kurosawa's wedding. _This isn't happening, this is _so_ not happening_!

"Hey Nyamo, can you settle this debate for us?"

"Gah!" Minamo cried as Yukari and Kimura continued to squabble.

"Why did you have to butt in?" Ichigo asked Keigo, the two of them hunkered down behind a snack filled store.

"Hey Ichigo," said Sato, "When are you gonna tell me about that other friend you had named Sato?"

"Well," said Ichigo, looking at the Japanese college student in front of him, "you two look pretty different."

"I'll say," said Keigo, "He was taller than just about everybody."

"Look," said Ichigo, "I need to get back to what I was doing earlier."

"I never knew that you were such a player," said Keigo.

"Shut up," said Ichigo. He quickly headed back towards the beach. _I hope she's still there_, he thought to himself.

Kaorin watched as Sakaki lay on a towel, her back facing the sun. _Oh_, Kaorin stared at her idol, _I can't believe Sakaki is so close that I could..._ Kaorin felt her face flush with warmth as she imagined rubbing sunscreen onto her friend's back. _Sh-sh-should I_? Kaorin nervously made her way towards Sakaki.

"Oh hey," said her old classmate, "I haven't seen you in a while. What's up?"

"Do you need s-some sunscreen or something?"

"Well, uh—"

"I mean I totally understand if you don't! It's just you're laid—I mean spread—I mean resting here without an umbrella, or shirt, or—"

"I'm, working on my tan."

"I mean I understand if you're totally not into that kind of thing, not that I'm sexing—suggesting that we do something—anything and I'm nervous, scared, crazy; geez, look at the time I have to go!" Sakaki watched as Kaorin ran off, straight into a man who was not paying enough attention.

Sakaki blinked in surprise at the incident. "So, was she hitting on me?"

Ichigo smiled as he sat down next to the young woman again. He felt her lean against his toned body. She turned her head to face him.

"You came back I see." Her face looked sweet, friendly, and oh so sexy. "I have to say I'm glad you did. Sometimes I'll be with a guy, when his friend shows up and he leaves, never coming back."

"They sound like jerks," said Ichigo, resting his hand on her soft, brown knee. "I'm not cruel like they were."

The woman smiled at Ichigo, placing a smooth hand on his kind face. "You don't have to try and convince me," she told him, "I knew it the moment I saw you, that's why I asked if you wanted to go to the beach with me. I just had a good feeling about you."

"I guess I'm a pretty lucky guy, huh?"

"I guess," she blushed. She glanced at the ground, nervous.

Ichigo saw the edge of her mouth curve into a smile. As Ichigo gently raised her chin with his hand, the moment was perfect again.

"Where's Kagura?" Tomo wondered aloud.

"She went off with that guy from our astronomy class," said Sakaki.

"Hmm, maybe we shouldn't have chosen the easiest of the science and math classes offered, huh?" asked Tomo.

"Do you think Kaorin likes me?" asked Sakaki.

"I dunno," said Tomo, "do you like her?"

"She's my friend but that's it, really."

"Hmm," Tomo mulled over the idea, "either that or she thinks you're cooler than Kakashi from Naruto."

Ichigo felt a gentle pressure against his lips as he kissed the girl. His hand slid across the gentle roundness of her chin. He felt the smooth hair on her head with his finger tips. Her soft warm cheeks pressed against his, like two fleece blankets sheltering a newborn in its mother's kind, loving arms. The two of them kept their mouths together as the sand kept them warm, as the sun slowly began to sink into the cobalt sea. A pink, orange cloud drifted across the sky by a steady breeze. The reddish, pink sunset behind the two of them made the beach a field where seeds of love were sown. Like the seeds of an ear of maize were planted to feed the bodies of human beings, these seeds fed the souls of the two young people as they kissed each other on the beach.

Ichigo felt goosebumps form on the edges of his arms. "Let's go inside," he told Kagura, "It's starting to get cold."

Kagura nodded and Ichigo wrapped his arm around his girl friend, guiding her back towards the hotel.

Up above the two happy teens Rukia's eyes became coals and she lit up the sky like a fire breathing dragon. She saw Kagura peck Ichigo's cheek. Rukia felt her heart shatter as the two humans embraced each other. _I can't believe it. I never thought that Ichigo would fall for someone like her_. Rukia began to cry as she watched the two young lovers continue their happy walk together.

Rukia thought back to her early days as a member of Squad Thirteen. She thought back to her early embarrassment about being a Kuchki, about her fear of special treatment, and the equalizing, kind, uncompromising teacher, the man she had fallen in love with, Kaien.

_It's okay_, thought Rukia as she watched Ichigo holding Kagura's hand. _I love Kaien, I love Ichigo, but_, Rukia watched as Ichigo and Kagura continued to move down the sidewalk, _Kaien is dead, and if Ichigo is happy_... Rukia felt her lips curve into a slight smile as a tear glistened down her cheek, before falling onto the beach below. _Then that's enough for me_.

**Author's Note: If this isn't a wall of text, then please review it.**


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